Wire tension control unit



Sept. 18, 1951 J, ANAN|A 2,568,182

WIRE TENSION CONTROL UNIT Filed Aug. 6, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Y

AITCI RN EYS Patented Sept. 18, 1951 iwmnmsnsion CONTROL UNIT James AJAnaniaJNeWark -N. .Lsassignor of one it-halfctozCai-mine Paul Policastros Nor-theAr-ling- "Applioa'tion'Augllst 6, 1948, Serial'N0.-'42 ;962

-. 5..Glaims. (cisz zwuse) 'lfh-is invention z-r'elates hto a 1. wire tension control 'device.

i'It is an'object of the present invention to "prowide ta wire A tension control device ada'pteii to zrreceive asspool :of wirearid to havek'thatspool vresi'ste'd byi-a brake elem enton ithe yoke-retaining spool and wherein there is anupwardl-yextend- :ingean'd' vertically adjustable and spring supwportedrpullewlocated ahead or: the spool an-d having snfiicienteflexibil-ity to adaptf itself to -the different sides of the spool and the-wire'being relievedatherefrom.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a wire-tension device which is of simple -.-construction, 'seasy tooaadjusty inexpensive to E J the -.o1lowing-detai-led description taken l-n icon nection n-w-ith the accompanying drawing," in

which Fig. ...1 is a side elevational view of .the .wire

tension device embodying the .features .of 'the present invention.

"Fig: Zisatop plan view 'of the device.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view in elevation, taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, in e1e-' vation, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view, in elevation, taken on line 11 of Fig. 3 and looking upon the engaging face of the brake element.

Referring now to the figures, l0 represents a base adapted to be attached by screws H to a top surface. This base has an upwardly extending portion l2 with openings therein for receiving the lower ends of later-ally spaced vertical support members l3 and I4. These members are secured together by a thumb screw IE to retain a central support It having an elongated slot 11 therein. Between the vertical supports 13 and I4 and extending through the elongated slot is a pin I8 serving to limit the upward adjustment of the support [6 and to prevent the same from pulling out of the upper ends of the supports I 3 and I4.

Secured to the upper end of the support l6 by screws I9, is a U-shaped member or yoke 20 for supporting a wire spool 2|. The sides of the yoke have slots 22 to receive shaft extensions tend: throughball 1 hearin elements 24 adapted 1 to "be xi-retained respectively wvithin the r notches volt-slots 22.

i -Pivotally connected to x the lower part-of f the yyoke .issa :brake element 2E5 extending upwardly -.and.-t adapted to engage the :side of a the spool whereby to resist; the-irotation of the2same. The

element 2 5 :is" held. in: frictionalengagement with V the spool by a spring 21 lyingwithin-ranopening sin the .side .of the, yoke .and retained therein by .an adjustable thumb screw s28.- By..-.adiusting nthisgscrew, the tension of the.-.springcan-.be ad- ;gjusted andflaccordinglyr the..brake-;element-.26- will .be..made to have :.more lfrictional engagement lViththQSPObl-Z I .Cionneeteclf-to :the vertical "support [4 by-.a

. thumbscrew. .29 is; a. laterally extending support- .ingarm v3lxfor-a pulley. guide .device..'32. The supporting; arml3 I has a longitudinally extending .fslotl'i33, so. that i thearm, can .be extended to J'dif- "ferent distances ifrom the vertical support and the ...guide device .32 adjusted toward or .;-away ..'from'.the poo112 I .'...'Ihe ,pnlley..guide device 1 32. comprises a: pulley 34 which'is journalled in a yoke 35 fixed to the upper end of a free coil spring 36. The lower end of the coil spring is connected to a threaded rod 31 having an adjusting nut 38 which may be turned to place the pulley 34 at different elevations. The nut 38 rests on the top of a coupling element 39 which is secured to the arm 3| by a thumb screw 4|. This same thumb screw 4! will secure the rod 31, or that portion of the same which extends into the coupling member 39, to the coupling member 39.

In operation, the spool 2| having wire thereon is placed in the upper end of the yoke 20 and its wire is extended over the pulley 34 as shown in Fig. 1 and is pulled off the spool. Because of the pulley 34 being mounted on a free spring, the pulley can adjust itself laterally as the wire is taken oil the spool from one side to the other. As more of the wire is taken from the spool so that it extends from a different elevation, the adjusting nut 38 of the pulley device can be adjusted to lower the pulley 34.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A wire tension control device comprising a base, vertical support means extending upwardly from the base, a yoke secured to the upper end of the vertical support means, a spool of wire removably secured to the yoke, a laterally extending arm adjustably connected to the vertical support means and extending to one side thereof, and a. wire guide device supported on the laterally extending arm and comprising a pulley, an attaching member; and a free spring secured-between thepulley and the attaching member, said pulley adapted to receive the wire extending from the spool and follow the wire from side to side as it is released from the spool.

2. A wire tension control device comprising a base, vertical support means extending upwardly from the base, a yoke secured to the upper end of the vertical support means, a spool of wire removably secured to the yoke, a laterally extending arm adjustably connected to the vertical support means and extending to one side thereof, and a wire guide device supported on the laterally extending arm and comprising a pulley, an attaching member, and a free spring secured between the pulley and the attaching member, said pulley adapted to receive the wire extending from the spool and follow the wire from side to side as it is released from the spool,

and a brake element on the yoke adapted to engage with the side of the spool for regulating the resistance to the movement of the spool and the tension of the wire.

3. A wire tension control device comprising a base, vertical support means extending upwardly from the base, a yoke secured to the upper end of the vertical support means, a spool of wire removably secured to the yoke, a laterally extending arm adjustably connected to the vertical support means and extending to one side thereof, and a wire guide device supported on the laterally extending arm and comprising a pulley, an attaching member, and a free spring secured between the pulley and the attaching member, said pulley adapted to receive the. wire extending from the spool and follow the wire from side to side as it is released from the spool, and the attaching member of the pulley guide device 4 having an adjustable. member thereon for supporting the guide device on the arm at different elevations, a coupling member receiving the at taching member and a thumb screw for securing the coupling member to the arm and for securing the attaching member to the coupling member.

4. A wire tension control device comprising a base, vertical support means extending upwardly from the base, a yoke secured to the upper end of the vertical support means, a spool of wire removably secured to the yoke, a laterally extending arm connected to the vertical support means and extending to one side thereof, and a wire guide device supported on the laterally extending arm and comprising a pulley, an attaching member, and a free spring secured between the pulley and the attaching member, said pulley adapted to receive the wire extending from the spool and follow the wire from side to side as it is released from the spool, and said laterally extending arm having a longitudinally extending slot, a thumb screw extendin through the slot adapted to be secured to the vertical supporting means whereby to retain the laterally extending arm at its adjusted position and to locate the pulley device at different distances from the wire spool.

5. A wire tension control device as defined in claim 1, and means connecting the yoke to the vertical supports for vertical adjustment relative thereto.

JAMES A. ANANIA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,849,483 Erwin Mar. 15, 1932 1,873,422 Keller Aug. 23, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 154,279 Great Britain Dec. 1, 1920 316,669 Italy Apr. 12, 1934-. 

